Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Indiana Governor Mike Pence take the stage during a campaign rally in Westfield, Indiana, on July 12, 2016.

Photographer: TASOS KATOPODIS/AFP/Getty Images

Amid a barrage of news reports that Donald Trump will tap Indiana Governor Mike Pence as his running mate, that choice may signal a more cautious course for the billionaire businessman-turned-reality-TV star-turned-almost presidential nominee.

A Trump-Pence ticket would offer “some reassurance to Republicans that maybe there will be a little more stability and standard-brand conservatism in the Trump campaign,” Allan Lichtman, a political history professor at American University in Washington, said in an interview

Pence wouldn’t be a “risky” choice, as other potential running-mate picks such as former House Speaker Newt Gingrich or N.J. Governor Chris Christie, Lichtman said

Political analyst Stuart Rothenberg appeared underwhelmed in gauging the overall enthusiasm Pence is likely to arouse:

“If Pence is the VP pick, he is likely to help Trump carry others in the Pence family,” according to a Rothenberg Tweet

While Pence as the VP nominee would assuage some party concerns about Trump, it “absolutely doesn’t matter” in terms of who wins the White House in November: Lichtman

In 1988, when George H.W. Bush tapped then Indiana Senator Dan Quayle to be his running mate, everyone said it would be a “disaster,” Lichtman said

But Bush went on to win a “fairly handy victory,” even after Quayle was on losing end of “maybe the most embarrassing debate moment ever,” referring to Democrat Lloyd Bentsen’s “You’re no Jack Kennedy” comeback

As of mid-afternoon, the Trump camp insisted no final decision had been made on the veep pick and the official announcement is still set for tomorrow at 11 a.m. in Manhattan

One Republican close to Pence said the campaign is preparing to announce Pence, but that a last-minute change of heart was possible, Bloomberg’s Jennifer Jacobs reported

Bloomberg's Sahil Kapur takes a look at Pence's record during his 12 years serving in the U.S. Congress

POLLS

Adding Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson to the mix, he gets 12% while Clinton and Trump remain tied at 36% each

“It’s not surprising that Hillary would take a hit after the toughest weeks of her campaign,” said Lichtman, who has correctly predicted the outcome of every presidential election since 1984

He referred to FBI Director James Comey’s comments last week on the investigation into Clinton’s use of a private e-mail server while secretary of state, which were “as bad as could be” for her, short of an indictment: Lichtman

Just 19% of Hispanic voters support Trump, while 67% support Clinton, according to a Univision poll

Trump would need support of at least 40% of Hispanics to win election, according to the Spanish-language media outlet

Comey also said former President Bill Clinton’s impromptu meeting with Attorney General Loretta Lynch influenced his decision to publicly detail his findings in the Clinton e-mail probe

Bernie Sanders has a book deal with Thomas Dunne Books, the Associated Press reported

Sanders will pen “Our Revolution: A Future to Believe In,” to be released November 15, a week after election day

Christie ally David Samson pleaded guilty to a federal corruption charge for pressuring United Airlines to fly a money-losing route convenient to his weekend home, Bloomberg’s David Voreacos and David Kocieniewski report

CONGRESSIONAL RACES

Ad calls attention to Duckworth’s status as Army veteran who lost her legs as helicopter pilot in Iraq; spot also accuses Republican Sen. Mirk Kirk of having “flat-out lied repeatedly” about his military service

Kirk, rated by pundits as among most vulnerable GOP Senate incumbents this year, has distanced himself from Trump and will still oppose him even if Pence, a former colleague, joins Republican ticket, Kirk told Bloomberg’s Steven Dennis

NOTE: Kirk and Pence each first elected to the House in 2000

IN-SEN: Democrat Evan Bayh in first TV ad says he “can’t sit on the sidelines” after seeing how “the bitter partisanship and lack of progress in Washington has gotten even worse”

Bayh, former senator and governor, announced this week for seat of retiring GOP Sen. Dan Coats; GOP nominee is Rep. Todd Young